The Basics

The Game: A full hockey game consists of three 20-minute periods with two 18-minute intermissions.

The Players: Each team has six players on the ice at any given time (except when a penalty occurs): center, right wing, left wing, two defensemen and a goalie. Each team can dress a maximum of 18 skaters and two goalies.

The Puck: Players play with a 6 ounce puck made of vulcanized rubber. It is three inches in diameter and one inch thick. Pucks are frozen prior to play to eliminate bouncing.

The Playing Surface: Teams play on a 200 by 85 feet ice sheet (rink). The rink is divided into zones by a red line at the center ice and two blue lines.

The Goal: A goal is scored when the puck entirely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. The standard goal post is 6 x 4 feet.

Off-sides: When a player on offense fully crosses the blue line of the defending team’s zone before the puck has crossed the line. The ref will blow his whistle for a stoppage in play for a face-off outside of the zone.

Icing: The ice rink is divided in 2 halves by the center red line, if a team on offense shoots the puck the length of the ice before crossing the center line, they must beat the defending team across the goal line behind the net, if a defending player reaches the goal line before the opposing team, the ref will blow their whistle will be blown and the puck will return to the offending team’s zone for a face-off.

Penalty: If a player causes an infraction of a rule, they will receive a penalty determined by the Ref and SPHL Rulebook. Penalties vary from Minor Penalties, such as slashing or tripping, which lead to a team being a man-down as the infracting player will sit in the penalty box for 2 minutes or until when the opposing teams scores. Major Penalties, such as fighting, require the player to serve a 5 minute penalty in the box. A penalty will be delayed until the infracting team takes possession of the puck, giving the team a chance to score before a stoppage in play.

Power Play (PP): When a team causes an infraction where a penalty must be served, the opposing team will be on the power play. A power play comes in multiple variations of being up a man while the puck is in play. Varying from 5 on 4, to 4 on 3 depending on the amount of players who have received penalties. The power play will last as long as there is time left in the penalty being served, or if the team on the power play scores, the power play will end. Once a penalty is fully served the penalized player will re-enter the ice from the penalty box, this is known as even-strength (5 on 5).

Empty Net: Each team reserves the right to pull their goaltender at anytime during or before play has begun. Pulling your goaltender to the bench allows the team to put a 6th skater on the ice, leading to an 6 on 5 advantage. This is common in the final few minutes of a game when a team is down a goal, or when an opposing team has a delayed penalty.

Overtime (OT): If the 3rd period ends in a tie, and extra 5-minute, 3 on 3,  “sudden-death” period will be played. If a team scores during the 5 minutes they automatically win the game, and are rewarded 2 points in the standings whilst the loser of the Overtime receives 1. If no team scores in the 5 minute period, this will lead to a Shootout to determine the winner.

Shootout (SO): A Shootout will follow the end of Overtime if no team has yet to score. A shootout will begin with 5-rounds where one skater each round will get a chance to score on the opposing team’s goaltender, if the score is still tied by the end of 5 rounds, the next rounds will enter a “sudden-death” format where each team will get a chance for their player to score. If a player scores and the opposing team does not in the same round, the scoring team will win the game, and are rewarded 2 points in the standings while the loser receives 1 point.